Xenosaga: Lessons In Love
by Tiger5913
Summary: KOSMOS is trying to understand the feelings that are developing between her creators. Maybe chaos can help? [Shion x Allen, KOSMOS x chaos]


9/8/04

Disclaimer: the characters in this story such as chaos, KOS-MOS, etc. don't belong to me; they are property of Namco. If I owned the game, I think everyone would throw up at all the mushy romance. P

Dedications: God, my parents, my friends, Namco for making this greatly addicting and beautiful FMV-filled RPG, and all of you lovely readers!

Special dedication to my darling little cousin Tony (who is really like my little brother), to which I wrote this story for the purpose of thanking him for his steadfast support. Love ya, kid.

**Xenosaga: Lessons In Love**

**By Tiger5913**

"chaos. Why do humans… behave so peculiarly?"

The platinum-haired humanoid boy turned to glance at the speaker and inquired softly in response, "What do you mean?"

No further explanation was offered at that time, but a silver, metallic hand did gesture toward the two people that were sitting side-by-side on a bench across the park structure of the vastly spacious Durandal. The woman on the right was carefully, adoringly being pampered by her companion, having bandages applied on a couple of her injuries that were more serious than mere minor abrasions. Her subordinate, who also happened to be one of her closest friends, seemed very intent on taking care of her, and waved all voiced protests off dismissively. A light shade of pink lit up her cheeks, but the young female scientist eventually relented and came to relax, resting back against the support behind her, visibly surprised at the insistence coming from the usually-passive man.

"I was referring to Shion and Allen." The female battle robot stated to her ally resting beside her on their own respective bench, her normally-expressionless red eyes filled with a flicker of confusion.

"Ah… them," chaos nodded the confirmation, and was about to ask for an elaboration on what she wanted to know, but then he noticed that her attention was rather intently focused on her 'parents', so to speak, and thus he sat back, patiently waiting.

Finally, she spoke again; "When they come in close proximity of each other, both of their body temperatures rise, and occasionally, the skin on Shion's face changes to a faint pink color. To my understanding, the temperature will rise in human bodies when they are ill with sickness, or experiencing a surge of anger in their emotions, but Shion and Allen do not seem to be affected with either of those scenarios. Therefore, I am… unsure of why the aforementioned occurrences take place."

"It's because Shion and Allen like each other, KOS-MOS," her comrade explained gently, a small smile on his face as he recalled the short, but insightful conversation he'd had with the older man some time ago, a short while after the Encephalon incident.

KOS-MOS blinked her crimson orbs at her maintainers, unaware of **that** bond they might have shared; she had presumed they were merely co-workers, but chaos seemed to know more about human relations than what she had in her current data-base, so she believed him. Still, this revelation brought her a bit of surprise. "This is a display of human affections?"

"Yes." The pale-haired boy confirmed, seeming confident in the conjecture as his voice lacked any hint of uncertainty. "Just watch them, if you'd like to learn more about human emotions. Maybe you can recognize what's going on between them."

Not that she had to eavesdrop on them _intentionally_, but the android did have senses that far exceeded those of human capabilities, so she was able to hear the entire conversation that ensued between her creators just then.

"There…! It should be all right now. Just don't do anything strenuous, Chief, or the wound will open up again," the tawny-haired man chided as he released the arm of his 'patient,' albeit in a gentle tone.

"Thanks… Allen." His co-worker, Shion Uzuki, expressed her gratitude softly, almost shyly, indicated by the low tone of her voice, and then she leaned forward to press a quick peck to his cheek. "You were a great help."

He flushed slightly at the light of kindness and adoration clearly evident in her eyes, and in response, briefly touched the back of his head in a show of mild embarrassment… But since this was Allen Ridgeley, he probably felt more bashful than anything else, given the situation and the young woman that he was currently in close proximity to, and what with the kiss she had just given him. The last time they had so little distance separating them was after she and the others had finally escaped from the Encephalon after being stuck in there for quite some time, and he hugged her impulsively upon the return. As for her praise, he had received compliments from his superior before, but it was usually regarding something they were working on in the labs; certainly, none had ever been on a personal level.

Faced with this new situation, and his cheek still tingling from her light peck, he could only stammer quietly, "It… it was no big deal, Chief. I mean, I'd help more if I could; if I had a weapon built, then I'd be out there fighting right beside you, but… well, I'm not very useful the way I am now."

"Oh, Allen, that's not true," his partner assured him encouragingly, placing her hand on top of his in further expression of her compassion. If it was possible, Allen's face colored even more, but as usual, she seemed oblivious to his discomfort, and just pressed on, "You might not be able to join us in battle, but you're still very important to all of us, and a big help in your own way. I mean… even the strongest warrior in the world would need support on the path to victory."

"Uh, really? You think so?" he offered Shion a wry grin, and a nervous chuckle escaped him when he glanced down at their layered hands for a second, but he quickly looked back up at her and inquired earnestly, "You know, you've gone through so much since the beginning, and I think you're a pretty strong warrior. But even with that said, are you feeling all right now, Chief? All of you were in the Song of Nephilim for so long that we were getting really worried just waiting on the Elsa. Tony even had the nerve to threaten to take off if we had to wait much longer, but the Captain hit him on the head, and he shut up instantly."

"Well… I can tell you what happened if you'd like to know," the twenty-two-year-old offered, but she closed her eyes briefly to yawn, and it came out rather large and long, clearly indicating her present fatigue. "Whew! I guess I'm more tired than I thought… Say, Allen?"

"Yeah, Chief…?" his curious glance slid over her, concern still lingering in his dark green eyes.

"Can you take me to your room?" When his eyes widened upon hearing her request, she giggled girlishly at his reaction and quickly clarified, "I don't have a Jacuzzi in mine, and I can sure use a nice, hot bath right about now."

"Uh… sure, not a problem, heh…" Allen elicited that nervous chuckle again, but he stood up and carefully bent down a bit to help his companion stand as well; while she wasn't necessarily _that _incapacitated, he was rather chivalrous when it came to his secret love, so that justified his actions.

"Um… Allen, you don't have to worry – there's nothing wrong with my legs," Shion protested gently, although she did allow herself to receive aid, and relocated her hand from its previous location to now hang onto his arm when she was back on her feet.

"Ahh, just relax and take it easy," he suggested, the flush on his face showing that he was aware of her holding onto him, even though he had no complaints about that, of course. "You really should rest up before you guys leave for the Proto Merkabah tomorrow."

"Well, maybe you're right," she submitted softly, a small smile touching her lips at his blatant concern for her; then, at the mention of the others, she gasped slightly and turned to look behind, where two of her allies were sitting a little distance away, across the room. "Oh, sorry, I almost forgot about you two! Good night, KOS-MOS, chaos!"

Allen glanced their way and bid his comrades farewell also, and grinned sheepishly when chaos sent him a knowing look after noting that the female scientist had her hand on his arm, reminding him that the silver-haired boy knew of his secret feelings for Shion.

"Rest well, Shion, Allen." KOS-MOS replied in her usual stoic tone, and although there was no smile on her face, her creators knew the android well enough to identify her earnest concern. "There is a 98.675 probability of anticipated endangerment that will require a healthy body condition, if we are to endure what will be encountered tomorrow, and accomplish our objective."

Shion chuckled softly at the formality of her 'daughter,' then instructed, "You and chaos had better get some rest too! Especially with… with such a high chance of getting in trouble, right?"

"Affirmative." KOS-MOS replied obediently, while chaos nodded in agreement beside her, a gentle smile on his face when he thought of the caring nature that their little group's leader showed constantly.

"All right then, we'll see you in the morning," the young woman called out, and with a final wave, she allowed herself to be lead away from the bench by her partner, leaving the two remaining allies to enjoy each other's company until they retired to rest.

Once in the hall, she turned to peer over at Allen and commented, "You know, even though they all have their own problems, it feels kinda nice to know that everyone's so concerned about me. And despite what people say about KOS-MOS 'just being a robot,' I'm sure that she's perfectly capable of having emotions, just like everyone else."

"Hmm… maybe chaos has influenced her a little," he contemplated, a thoughtful look on his face. "I've seen them talking a few times before, and he seems happy, always smiling when he looks at her."

"Well, if they enjoy being together, then I wish them the best. KOS-MOS also still has a lot to learn about humans, so I'm sure that spending time with chaos will be a great help to her in that area as well." Shion smiled after giving her blessings, and then gently laid her head atop his shoulder, closing her eyes as she breathed out quietly, "After all, everybody needs someone, right, Allen?"

Allen just started blushing again in silent response, but he gathered up his courage to turn toward the auburn-haired woman next to him, and briefly pressed his lips against her forehead in a short, yet undoubtedly affectionate kiss. Light as it was, she of course felt it, and even though she merely smiled, said nothing in verbal response, her grip on his arm tightened just slightly to silently inform him that the adoring gesture was received, accepted, and would be returned when the right situation came along. Part of him wanted to do something foolish, like jump up and down cheering in celebration of what had just transpired, but he cleverly managed to maintain his dignity. Allen had wanted to be with her for quite some time, had supported her indefinitely throughout all the situations the two went through since the beginning, even stood by and waited patiently while she mourned the death of a lost loved one, always hoping deep down inside that one day, she would finally look at him with the same love she once held for her deceased boyfriend.

Every time he strove for her attention, she either didn't notice, or perhaps… was unwilling to come to terms with the concept of being in a new relationship when the pain was still fresh in her memory. The other Vector workers in their section had always encouraged Allen to ask his superior out, and although he wanted to very badly, he knew of her hesitancy, and made it his first priority to respect her space. He helped Shion whenever she needed it, in whatever way he could, and stepped back as soon as he detected unease or stubborn unwillingness in her emotions, and in regards to his own personal agenda, he would wait patiently until she was ready to move on. Thankfully, it seemed like she realized that her partner harbored non-platonic feelings for her, and felt the same toward him, was somehow able to let go of her former lover, and so now his dream was finally coming true.

Comforted by the thought, warmth spread throughout his body as Allen smiled down at Shion after boarding the train together, silently thanking her for giving him a chance, for the return of her affections would surely ease and heal the ache that had been in his heart for countless days.

Back in the park, KOS-MOS and chaos still sat together, neither immediately speaking on what they had just observed of the young couple from afar, despite how their conversation had run earlier. The android was processing the information in her database, taking note of the actions that occurred between Shion and Allen, and her platinum-haired companion stayed quiet and allowed her to absorb the lesson. He knew that it would definitely take her some time to truly understand what had happened, but he made a silent promise to assist her in any way possible that he could, though he did prefer that she came out and asked what she wanted of him. He cared for KOS-MOS, despite knowing full well that it was very likely unrequited, but if he could help her learn about and acquire emotions and feelings, then perhaps she would grow to like him back, as Shion did with Allen.

"Judging by what has just transpired between those two, physical contact is important for humans in displaying their emotions," the female robot spoke finally, breaking the long silence that had stretched between her and her infinitely-patient ally. "chaos, are you acknowledged of whether or not that particular aspect is applied for all species?"

"I think it is," he answered with just a twinge of uncertainty in his tone, but he still tried to conjure up a plausible explanation for her sake. "From what I've seen, anyway, but I'm not completely sure. Tony has been with a lot of women before, but since we usually give him his privacy, I don't know what he does with them. I don't really have any experience either, so my information in that department is rather limited. I'm sorry that I can't be of more help, KOS-MOS."

"I see." She remained still for some time, inwardly running the information through her system, trying to piece together the confusing puzzle whose answer seemed to somehow cleverly elude her search. "Regardless, I offer you my gratitude for your assistance."

"You're welcome." chaos replied simply, relieved that she didn't seem to be disappointed with how little information he had offered, but in all honesty, everything he just told her was to the best of his knowledge, in spite of the vagueness. "Well, I enjoyed talking to you, but I'm getting a little tired. I think I'll turn in now."

Being a robot, KOS-MOS needed less sustenance than her other allies, so she opted to stay in the park and process a little longer, but she did turn and glance at her companion, instantly identifying the hint of fatigue hidden in his emerald irises. Realizing his current condition, she helpfully suggested in her usual reasonable way, "Yes, it would be beneficial for you to acquire the necessary amount of rest for your body to recover from our encounter with the Song of Nephilim earlier today. Tomorrow's journey will be even more difficult, so having full strength will grant each of us the highest chance of survival."

"Aren't you going to sleep too? Or, do whatever is equivalent to you getting rest?"

"Affirmative. However, I only require a few hours to attain full recovery, so I shall stay here a little longer," KOS-MOS informed him calmly.

The teenage-appearing boy felt a bit concerned, but he merely gave a slight shrug, deeming her perfectly capable of taking care of herself. "Well… all right, I suppose. Just make sure you get enough rest for tomorrow, okay?" She nodded in response, a trait she had picked up from being around her other allies for so long. "Have a good night then, KOS-MOS."

He arose from his seat and with one last gaze her way, slowly started to leave the vicinity, but he only took one step before his name was called softly, "chaos."

Wondering what unfinished business she wished to discuss with him on a final note, chaos turned back to oblige her request for him to stop. "Yes?"

KOS-MOS standing right in front of him didn't faze the humanoid male too much, but when she leaned toward him and pressed her lips to his cheek, _that_ came as a great surprise, needless to say. Stunned, chaos didn't move – he was unsure of how to react or what to do, truthfully – until she had already pulled back and looked at him with those same unwavering crimson orbs that she cast upon everyone else, but this time… he felt that something was different. He could not tell for sure what swam in the deep pools of her dark eyes, but reasonably decided against asking her, for it was likely that she herself was unacknowledged, and he didn't want to bring her even more confusion. Feeling slipped back into his body just as the android stepped to the side and calmly walked past him, heading for the exit, and he watched her silently, head slightly tilted to one side in curiosity; didn't she say that she had wanted to stay up a while longer?

As if sensing his thoughts, KOS-MOS paused at the door leading out of the park and called back, still facing away from him, "I have just realized that it is indeed time for my body to acquire nourishment, so I shall retire now." And then, her head suddenly turned to glance behind so that their eyes met, and she quietly voiced before passing over the threshold and disappearing from sight, "Good night, chaos…"

**The End**

**Author's Note: **Well, here it is! My first Xenosaga fic! I hope I didn't do too badly, heh. I don't know if I'm going to write a sequel to this or not, but I'll wait to hear feedback from you readers first before deciding. I tried hard to keep everyone in character, and if I managed to squeak by somehow, then I'm very happy. If there are errors present, which I'm sure there are, forgive me, but I'm finishing up this baby at past 1 in the morning, so my editing eye isn't up to par at this time. Well, thank you all for reading this little fic of mine, and please leave a review to let me know what you think! )

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


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